The invention relates generally to staple removers and, more particularly, to devices for removing broken or partially removed staples.
The conventional staple remover is well-known. One example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,050. It acts by the closure of a pair of opposing jaw members that have had their terminal, pointed end portions inserted between the staple and the paper to which it had been applied. The jaws have a curved profile increasing in longitudinal dimension from their pointed end portions on the staple side and being substantially flat on the paper side. The staple is thus forced open and may be removed from the paper.
Not infrequently, the staple breaks upon being opened and during removal from the paper. If the staple breaks, only a portion will be removed from the paper and the other portion will remain attached to the paper. The conventional staple removers offer no effective means for the removal of a broken staple.
Staples may also not be completely released from the paper by the conventional staple remover. One leg of the staple may remain in the paper while the free leg slips out of the grasp of the conventional staple remover. Whether a broken portion of a staple remains in the paper or an unbroken staple is incompletely released from the paper, the usual procedure employed is to attempt to grasp the staple or staple portion with the fingers and attempt to twist and pull it free from the paper.
The present invention is an improved staple removing device that more securely grasps the staple during the opening and removal process to help prevent leaving a staple or staple portion of the paper. If a staple or staple portion remains in the paper, the present invention can be used to grasp securely the staple or staple portion for easy and complete removal.